Thursday, September 10, 2009

My favorite time on Saturday mornings during my weekly volunteer shift at the Aquarium of the Pacific is the hour just after the Aquarium opens and just before the majority of our guests arrive. This week’s blog includes a short point-of-view video shot last Saturday via a “volunteer-cam” in an attempt to share with you, the reader, a bit of the magic of that first hour of the day.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Working with the Program Animals gives me the opportunity to introduce our guests to a variety of really cool animals including birds, reptiles, and terrestrial mammals. Some of these types of animals - like Lola the sulfur crested cockatoo, Matches the bearded dragon, and Iggy the green iguana - are commonly kept as pets. I get approached by guests all the time asking where they could acquire such a pet, or telling me about the pets they already have. While I’m very happy there are folks out there interested in caring for animals, there are many things to take into consideration before you take on the responsibility of keeping any animal as a pet. Knowing a lot about the animal you intend to bring home is essential, as is taking care of the unique needs of your pet!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

From an otter carefully grooming her fur to a porcupine enjoying a ride on his keeper’s arm; sometimes the beauty of an animal can best be seen in slow motion. This week’s blog includes a video of some of the Aquarium’s critters viewed in slow motion.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

One of the most common questions I get while on the boats is “How do you find the whales and dolphins? Does that Captain use radar?” Unfortunately, no. I wish it were that easy! We rely on our eyes to do the searching. There are a couple of things we look for to get us in the right direction and as I like to say, “Follow the birds!”

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Although during the weekend of the Long Beach Grand Prix the Aquarium of the Pacific is closed, the animals still need to be cared for and necessary facility maintenance can be taken care of. For a husbandry volunteer it may look like a thankless job to be working in an empty aquarium while the roar and excitement of the Grand Prix Celebrity race are just yards away outside the front entrance but in reality its a day that veteran volunteers look forward to. Its one of the few times of the year that the husbandry staff has the Aquarium critters to themselves and, after the necessary chores are done, can have a days worth of playtime with the animals.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Since the theme of “25 Random Things About Me” seems to be the “now” thing at social networking sites lately; this week’s blog is about 25 random things about the Aquarium of the Pacific that you may or may not have known.

Monday, February 02, 2009

After a long day of entertaining visitors to Lorikeet Forest, Piper, Bo and the rest of the Lories occasionally look forward to an Avian “Happy Hour” after the last guest has left. These frenzied flock of feathered frolickers take in the fun of bowls of smoothies and nectar and the opening of the toy-box!